Information processing apparatus and information processing method

1. An information processing apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the information processing apparatus to:

acquire an image of a breast;

acquire information on a position of a nipple of the breast in a three-dimensional coordinate system to which the image of the breast belongs;

specify a plurality of places in the image spaced apart from the nipple of the breast by a plurality of three-dimensional distances set at equal intervals on the basis of the information on the position of the nipple;

generate a composite image including the image and information indicating the plurality of places; and

cause a display unit to display the composite image.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the information processing apparatus to calculate circles by cutting spheres centered on the position of the nipple and having each of the plurality of three-dimensional distances as a radius along an imaging region of the breast which corresponds to the image on the basis of the information on the position of the nipple, and calculate an arc, of each of the calculated circles, which is included in the image.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the instructions further cause the information processing apparatus to generate the composite image by superimposing the arc on the image.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the information processing apparatus to generate the composite image by superimposing a character indicating the plurality of three-dimensional distances on the image.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, in accordance with a mode designated by a user, the instructions further cause the information processing apparatus to generate and cause the display unit to display the image not included the information indicating the plurality of places or generate and cause the display unit to display the composite image.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the information processing apparatus to acquire the information on the position of the nipple on the basis of a position of the nipple in a physical space which is measured by a position sensor.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the information processing apparatus to:

specify a place in the image spaced apart from the nipple by a reference three-dimensional distance between the nipple and a region of interest in the breast;

generate a further composite image including the image and information indicating the place; and

switch between a first mode for displaying the composite image and a second mode for displaying the further composite image.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image is an ultrasonic tomogram.

9. An information processing method performed by an information processing apparatus, the method comprising:

acquiring an image of a breast;

acquiring information on a position of a nipple of the breast in a three-dimensional coordinate system to which the image of the breast belongs;

specifying a plurality of places in the image spaced apart from the nipple of the breast by a plurality of three-dimensional distances set at equal intervals on the basis of the information on the position of the nipple;

generating a composite image including the image and information indicating the plurality of places; and

causing a display unit to display the composite image.

10. The information processing method according to claim 9 , further comprising calculating circles by cutting spheres centered on the position of the nipple and having each of the plurality of three-dimensional distances as a radius along an imaging region of the breast which corresponds to the image on the basis of the information on the position of the nipple, and calculate an arc, of each of the calculated circles, which is included in the image.

11. The information processing method according to claim 10 , wherein the composite image is generated by superimposing the arc on the image.

12. The information processing method according to claim 9 , wherein the composite image is generated by superimposing a character indicating the plurality of three-dimensional distances on the image.

13. The information processing method according to claim 9 , wherein, in accordance with a mode designated by a user, further comprising generating and causing the display unit to display the image not included the information indicating the plurality of places or generating and causing the display unit to display the composite image.

14. The information processing method according to claim 9 , wherein the information on the position of the nipple is acquired on the basis of a position of the nipple in a physical space which is measured by a position sensor.

15. The information processing method according to claim 8 , further comprising:

specifying a place in the image spaced apart from the nipple by a reference three-dimensional distance between the nipple and a region of interest in the breast;

generating a further composite image including the image and information indicating the place; and

switching between a first mode for displaying the composite image and a second mode for displaying the further composite image.

16. The information processing method according to claim 9 , wherein the image is an ultrasonic tomogram.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to:

acquire an image of a breast;

acquire information on a position of a nipple of the breast in a three-dimensional coordinate system to which the image of the breast belongs;

specify a plurality of places in the image spaced apart from the nipple of the breast by a plurality of three-dimensional distances set at equal intervals on the basis of the information on the position of the nipple;

generate a composite image including the image and information indicating the plurality of places; and

cause a display unit to display the composite image.

18. An information processing apparatus comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the information processing apparatus to:

acquire an image of a breast;

acquire information on a position of a nipple of the breast in a three-dimensional coordinate system to which the image of the breast belongs;

specify a place in the image spaced apart from the nipple of the breast by a three-dimensional distance on the basis of the information on the position of the nipple;

generate a composite image including the image and information indicating the place; and

cause a display unit to display the composite image.

19. The information processing apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the instructions further cause the information processing apparatus to generate the composite image by superimposing a character indicating the three-dimensional distance on the image.

20. The information processing apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein, in accordance with a mode designated by a user, the instructions further cause the information processing apparatus to generate and cause the display unit to display the image not included the information indicating the place or generate and cause the display unit to display the composite image.

21. The information processing apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the instructions further cause the information processing apparatus to acquire the information on the position of the nipple on the basis of a position of the nipple in a physical space which is measured by a position sensor.

22. The information processing apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the image is an ultrasonic tomogram.

23. The information processing apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the three-dimensional distance is a three-dimensional distance determined based on a designation of an operator.

24. The information processing apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the three-dimensional distance is a three-dimensional distance between the position of the nipple and a region of interest, which is determined based on an image of the breast different from the image.

25. The information processing apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the three-dimensional distance is a three-dimensional distance between the position of the nipple and a region of interest, which is determined based on a designation of an operator for an image of the breast different from the image.

26. The information processing apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the instructions further cause the information processing apparatus to generate the composite image by superimposing an arc indicating the place on the image.

27. An information processing method performed by an information processing apparatus, the method comprising:

acquiring an image of a breast;

acquiring information on a position of a nipple of the breast in a three-dimensional coordinate system to which the image of the breast belongs;

specifying a place in the image spaced apart from the nipple of the breast by a three-dimensional distance on the basis of the information on the position of the nipple;

generating a composite image including the image and information indicating the place; and

causing a display unit to display the composite image.

28. The information processing method according to claim 27 , wherein the composite image is generated by superimposing a character indicating the three-dimensional distance on the image.

29. The information processing method according to claim 27 , wherein, in accordance with a mode designated by a user, further comprising generating and causing the display unit to display the image not included the information indicating the place or generating and causing the display unit to display the composite image.

30. The information processing method according to claim 27 , wherein the information on the position of the nipple is acquired on the basis of a position of the nipple in a physical space which is measured by a position sensor.

31. The information processing method according to claim 27 , wherein the image is an ultrasonic tomogram.

32. The information processing method according to claim 27 , wherein the three-dimensional distance is a three-dimensional distance determined based on a designation of an operator.

33. The information processing method according to claim 27 , wherein the three-dimensional distance is a three-dimensional distance between the position of the nipple and a region of interest, which is determined based on an image of the breast different from the image.

34. The information processing method according to claim 27 , wherein the three-dimensional distance is a three-dimensional distance between the position of the nipple and a region of interest, which is determined based on a designation of an operator for an image of the breast different from the image.

35. The information processing method according to claim 27 , wherein the composite image is generated by superimposing an arc indicating the place on the image.